The International Academy of Arts and Sciences, which presents annual Webby Awards, has selected 10 significant Internet moments in the last decade. The launch of Wikipedia, Facebook and Google are among the influential moments in the history of the Internet. Additionally, the use of the Internet in politics and twittering during public protests suggests that this relatively new technology may have changed the world.

“The internet is the story of the decade because it was the catalyst for change in not just every aspect of our everyday lives, but in everything from commerce and communication to politics and pop culture,” the executive director of the Webby Awards, David-Michel Davies, said. “The recurring theme among all of the milestones on our list is the Internet’s capacity to circumvent old systems and put more power into the hands of ordinary people.”

The top 10 Internet moments since 2000 are:

• Craigslist online classified site expands outside San Francisco (2000)
• The launch of Google AdWords (2000)
• The launch of online encyclopedia Wikipedia (2001)
• The shutdown of file-sharing site Napster (2001)
• Google’s initial public offering (2004)
• The online video revolution led by YouTube (2006)
• Facebook opens to non-college students and Twitter launches (2006)
• Apple’s iPhone debuts (2007)
• The use of the Internet in the US presidential campaign (2008)
• The use of Twitter during the Iranian election protests (2009)

The 14th annual Webby Awards will be announced in April 2010. The Academy awards excellence on the Internet in several categories, for example news, interactive advertising, online film and video.

Source: news.com.au